Ore concentrator and amalgamator



Sept. 21, 1943. c. H. OVERHULTZ 2,329,781

ORE CONCENTRATOR AND AMALGAMATOR Filed Aug. 6, 1942 25 27* l7 /7 v v 26 /6 28 4 14 J J 18 /s Patented Sept. 21, 1943 our coNoENrrnA'roaAMALGK A O Charlie H. Overhultz, Denver, Colo; Application August 6, 1942,; Serial No. 453,792

2 claims, (o1. troll-437) This invention relates to improvements in ore concentrators and amalgamators.

There is a great need for a simple and efiicient concentrator that can be readily transported to distant places and which can be used with either dry ore or ore pulp.

In many places gold in considerable quantity;

is found mixed with dry sand, in desertregions; y

suchgold has been difficult to separate due to the absence of water. I 3

It is an object to this invention to produce a simple concentrating device thatcan be employed either with or without water and which will thereforebe especially well adapted for use in dry placer mining operations. I l

Another object such construction assembled.

And a stillfurther object is a; produce a ma, manufactured and soldat a,

chine that can be moderate price.

The above and other objects that may herein- 7 .15V 's'jto produce a machine of V that it can bequickly and easily taken apart for transportation and readily.

after appear are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement of parts that will now be described in detail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which one embodiment of the machine has been illustrated, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in verical diametrical section and partly in elevation showing the im-' proved machine; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary diametrical section to a somewhat larger scale, of a concentrating cone of a slightly modified construction from that shown in Figure 1.

In the drawing reference numeral 5 designates a base which is preferably made from wood and which may be of any suitable shape, either round, square, triangular or cross-shaped. At the center of the base a bearing 6 is attached and a shaft 1 has its lower end mounted in the bearing. A Z-shaped handle 8 has its lower end provided with a sleeve 9 that surrounds the shaft directly above the bearing 6 and which serves as thrust bearing for limiting the downward movement of the shaft. Sleeve 9 is held in place by a set screw ill or other suitable means. Handle 8 serves as means for oscillating the shaft about its axis. The upper end of the shaft is preferably square as indicated by numeral ll. Since the square section is movement between the shaft and the concentrating cone l2, other equivalent means may be substituted.

provided for preventing relative rotary Securedto. and supported by the shaft is a concentrating cone I2 to which attention will 'now be directed. The cone is provided on its under side with a hub -l3.whose axis "is coincident with theaxis of the cone and which, in the device'illustrated,-,has a. square axial opening for the reception of the. correspondingly shaped upper end of the shaft; I f

The ,outer'surfa/ce of the cone is provided. with a v plurality of grooves-l4 and the upper .end or apex has apan-like depression lfi whose wall I6.-

is inwardly concave. 1 Inathe embodiment illustrated; the innensurfacejof the outer walls of the grooves and-the pan -are curved-on anne-half inch radiusbut' e curvature carilbe on longer or; smaller radii is possible to make the inner wait surfaces; frustofconical and upwardly tapering2 and even-cylindrical. -The' circular curvature f-the wall surfaces is preferred at present.

lllteferring now, to FigureZ', itwill be observed that the centersC, about which the inner sur-;

faces 0f the walls; l 6- are curved,.,are; spaced radially a distance of 4R and vertically a distance:

of R where R is the radius of curvature of the wall surfaces. The exact spacing of the centers C may be different from that shown, but the relationship above defined is believed to be very well suited for the purpose.

- Projecting upwardly from the base are a plurality of supporting posts H, which are preferably formed from iron pipe of suitable diameter. The

1 lower ends of posts I! are preferably threaded into flanges l8. Three posts are sufiicientfor most purposes. A cast iron or steel ring l9 having a downwardly tapering frusto-conical flanges 20 serves to support a funnel-like hopper 2|. Ring l9 has an outwardly extending flange 22 that is provided, at properly spaced intervals,

with sockets 23 for the reception of the upper ends of the posts l1. If the posts are formed from pipes, their upper ends are plugged so as to form abutments for the adjusting screws 24.

The hopper terminates at its lower end in a tube 25 that in turn terminates a short distance above the bottom of the pan IS. The distance between the end of tube 25 and the surface of pan [5 determines the rate of feed, other things i being equal, and this distance can be varied by nozzle has a large number of small holes28 the adjusting screws 24.

A circular spray nozzle 26 surrounds the tube 25 and is attached to the latter by some suitable means like that designated by numeral 21. The

through which the water issues in a downwardly tapering conical spray so adjusted that it strikes the bottom of pan l5 where the material issues from the tube 25 whereby metallic particles are urged inwardly toward the center of the pan. A pipe or hose 29 connects the nozzle With a source of water under pressure, which has not been shown.

Mercury may be provided for the pan and the grooves.

The material to be concentrated is fed to the hopper and is delivered to the center of the pan by tube 25. The operator oscillates the cone by means of handle 8 so as to agitate the ore and keep it from settling in the pan or the grooves. If found necessary fingers 30 may be secured to the frame and adjusted to project into the grooves to keep the ore from settling and packing in the grooves.

Since the material is fed into the bottom of the pan, the gold particles will be deposited adjacent the bottom and since they are heavy, they will remain there and amalgamate with the mercury.

Where dry placer sand is to be concentrated, the nozzle is not used but the sand flows outwardly and downwardly over the cone and the heavy gold particles are caught by the mercury.

For transportation the several parts are disassembled and can be carried by a truck or by a pack horse to any place where it is to be used.

It is evident that applicants invention can be embodied in machines having slightly different designs than that illustrated and applicant does not want to be limited to the exactshape and proportions shown. The angle ofthe concentrating cone. can, for example, be changed from that shown and the same applies to the hop"- per. The principal featureof novelty resides in the conical concentrator element having a pan at its apex and a plurality of concentric grooveson its outer surface, over and through which the material must pass.

Having described the invention whatis claimed as new is:

1. An ore concentrator and amalgamator, comprising in combination, a base, a plurality of supports extending upwardly therefrom, a bearing supported on the base intermediate the supports, a shaft having its lower end positioned in the bearing and projecting upwardly therefrom, a frusto-conical concentrating element positioned on the shaft and mounted for oscillatory movement about a vertical axis, the outer surface of the element having a plurality of radially spaced concentric grooves, means for feeding ore onto the upper end of the concentration element, comprising a downwardly tapering hopper having a discharge opening positioned directly over the concentrating element, said hopper resting on the supports, and means for raising and lowering the hopper relative to the concentration element to vary the rate of feed.

2. An ore concentrator and amalgamator, comprising in combination, a base, a plurality of supports extending upwardly therefrom, a bearing supportedon the base intermediate the supports, a shaft having its lower end positioned in the bearing and projecting upwardly therefrom, a frusto-conical concentrating element positioned on the shaft and mounted for oscillatory movement about a vertical axis, the outer surface of the element having a plurality of radially spaced concentric grooves, means for feeding ore onto the upper end of the concentration element, comprising a downwardly tapering hopper having a discharge opening positioned directly over the concentrating element, said hopper resting on the supports. means for raising and lowering the hopper relative to the concentration element to vary the rate of feed, and means for directing a downwardly tapering annular water spray againstthe ore, after it leaves the feed hopper, to effect an inward movement of metallic particles.

CHARLIE H. OVERHULTZ. 

